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joan_of_barkThe drive to Gotham had been long, but uneventful - at least up until the end. The end had been the sight of a man, or a thing, covered in lamia, slowly walking down alongside the highway.
It took Janet but a few moments to recognize him: he'd been an employee at the chemical plant where they'd met each other for the first time. The one Pam had filled with lamia spores, where she had taken pity on only one, small little human among dozens.
She put him out of his misery.
She was disconcerted, though.
Half an hour later, she met Harley on the edge of Slaughter Swamp. Harls had brought a welcome home sign, and a bouquet of flowers stolen from a funeral home. "Hi there, gorgeous," she said. "Took you long enough."
There was a lot to tell her. Fandom. Janet. The wild lamia. But Pam put it all aside. She was home at last. The world could wait. With Harley in her arms, all she wanted to do was lock it all out, and cover herself in love.
---
And it worked, for a week. Pam woke up every morning to a dream: Harley's apartment, Harley warm in her arms, the sunlight filtering in through the windows. Birds singing outside. Heaven.
Unfortunately, she couldn't stay there. And so on Monday morning she got up, made her way down from Harley's apartment, and stepped back into the filth of Gotham City. A place she'd hoped never to set foot in again. A place where not seeing things was as important a survival skill as not being seen.
It didn't last long.
She took a turn into an alley. Something fell to the ground beside her. Something shiny. She stopped.
And there she was.
"So. You're back."
"Been a while," Pam murmured, and looked up to meet Selina's eyes as Catwoman came sliding down the fire escape. Dramatic, as always.
"You're very brave to show your face here, after the way you left," Selina noted, her feet touching down on the next set of bars. "Very brave, or very silly. I can't decide which one."
"I guess we'll find out together."
Pam held up the silver chain. "You dropped this," she added.
The woman in black leather twisted halfway and snatched the chain out of her hands. "Thanks," she said. "You seem different."
"I wasn't in a great place last time we met," Pam said delicately.
"And now you are in a great place?" Selina asked, fingers playing with the chain, her expression inquisitive.
"Not really," Pam said quietly. "But I am in this place again. Somehow."
And just like that, Selina jerked up, her legs tumbling underneath her. She gripped a line strung between the buildings and pulled herself up on it with unearthly grace. "Then as a welcome home present, I'll give you a head start," she said. "The Bats are looking for you."
Of course.
"Which ones?"
"All of them," Selina said briskly. "When you disappear for about a year and then show up on Harley Quinn's doorstep, people notice."
Perfect. Pam watched her move, flipping and sliding along the rooftops, until she was gone. A few steps carried her out of the alleyway, but honestly, even she knew there wasn't any point in running. So she just... walked, pondering familiar streets.
Walked, and walked, until she saw the shadow flitting around the edges.
"Let's just get this over with," she murmured. She turned a corner. Robinson Park had been her hideout once, her primary place of operations. If the Bats wanted to find her, they'd be looking here, first of all.
Better to meet them on her turf than to wait for them to upend Harley's.
The old paths between the trees still held unpleasant memories, but she pushed them aside. She just walked. And listened. The Bats always thought they were subtle, but she could hear Him, the way his stupid little cape rustled between the branches. The woods weren't a natural fit for him. They never had been.
It was honestly irritating. That he was trying to sneak up on her here, where she knew every leaf and blade of grass.
"You're not getting the upper hand on me that easily."
She let the lamia come over her, twisting her body into something different. The tendrils in her hair, the fruit on her body - her armor. And she looked to the trees, where the shadow disturbed the leaves. "S̵̞͍̺̗̀͜ó̷̦ ̸͉̳̑̈ẙ̶̻̜̆̌͜ơ̷̪͑̾u̶̺̹̬̓'̸̨͇̗̞̾̓v̶̜̫̺̅̐e̸͇͗̐̐ ̷̡̣̺͎͈̅͒ĉ̶̨̺̃̎͝ő̷͙͊͆m̴̟̂e̴͇͖͇̝̤͐̈̀ ̶͉̓̈̏̄͘t̸̢̗͖̘͆̽̑̑͜o̴̬̤̳͛́̇̒̚ ̴̣̳̩̭̟̀̓̃̂ă̷̬̤̅͗m̷̢̓͌̾̈́b̶͙͚̜͛ú̴̦̥̤̤s̴̛͈̆̂̑͘ͅḥ̸͂̐̐͒̀ ̷͚̰͑͐͂͜m̴͍͕̟̔͑̔̒͜ě̵̛̫͕͑̃̀.̵͎͍̦͑͊̀̿̍," she called. "T̵̗̾͑h̸͇́͜ȃ̷̪̰̓t̵̗͒͜ ̷̼̦̕h̴̖̺̍ạ̴̽̾s̴̰̕ṅ̴̗͚̏'̷̺̯̾͝t̴͉̻̓͗ ̴͉͠g̸̻͌ó̴͚n̴̦̈e̶̘͠͝ ̷̨̃w̸̪͎̆̕e̴̳̓l̴̡͈̀l̸͌ͅ ̸͖͔̏͒f̵̥̦̄́ȍ̵̡̉r̷̮̘͝ ̶͖̼͠y̴̥̅ȯ̴̫͍̑ṷ̷̖͐̓ ̵̞̔ḯ̴͚ń̷̹̯͝ ̸̥́t̷̡̜͑͝ḧ̶̬̞e̸̗̅ ̵̪̯̈̚p̴̟͆̕a̶̖͑̊s̶͇̔̒t̸͕̫̀̅,̵̯͊ ̸̞̖̀b̸̰͍͋ũ̷̘͝ẗ̶̥́̋ ̴̪͑̍I̴̧̡͝ ̶͚̻̕g̸̖̈́̈ṵ̵̊̎e̴͎̞̓s̴̡͚͒͠s̶̨̃̀ͅ ̶̟̒̕ẏ̴̧o̸̞͊u̷̹̍̂ ̷̜̭̕n̸̹̬͐͝e̸͉͕͛v̴̊͜e̷̛̫̾ř̵͙͚ ̸͕̊̕s̵̢̟͗͘u̴̪̦̿̈́ç̶̓̐c̷̰͛e̵̗̎e̸̛̝̐d̶̲͜͝ ̴͈̭̊ṵ̸̇͠ń̵̳t̴̨̐̿i̴̝̥͗l̵̬̝̍ ̵̺̰̆y̷̹̆͜o̴̧͈̽u̴̗͉̿ ̷͙͉̓t̴͈̿r̷͔̦̈̒ỳ̶̗.̶͔̦́̉"
The batarang flew past her head. She caught it. "Ì̴̖͖s̸̮̯̍̀ ̴̭͉̕t̸̫̐ḫ̴̱͝a̶̹̓͊t̴̬͈́ ̴̙̆s̸͇̀u̸̯̭͊p̷͈̆p̵͊ͅo̷̳͙̊š̴͈̎e̴̬̲̿̆ḋ̵̦̝̃ ̷̼̪͗͑t̵̢̙̉o̴̙͗͗ ̶̡͚̈́̽i̸͉̹̔m̸̡̩̑p̵̪̍ȑ̴̢̯̄e̸̛̝̠͆ŝ̴̺͎s̷̘͙̏ ̶̙̲̓m̴͉̟͊͝ẻ̶̢̪̚?̴̢̗̓"
"No. Just a warning."
And there he was, with his silly big ears and his infuriating air of superiority. "What kind of infection will I get if I touch that?"
She lifted an eyebrow. "P̵̖̽ḯ̸͓͖̓c̵̞̍k̸̩̦̅ ̸̞̋͐į̴͑ẗ̸̮͎́ ̸̦́͝û̸͖͘p̵̭͇͑ ̴̳̈́a̷̩͘̚n̸̻̐d̶͚̐̚ ̶̠̾͛f̶͍̤́̎î̴̳͑ͅǹ̴͇͘ď̸͙ ̵̙͕̉̈o̸͔̾ủ̵̙̝t̵̢̰̚.̴̈̈́," she challenged him. "Í̷̤͉̑ ̶̨͐͘t̴̰̉ĥ̵̺õ̷̖͠ú̶̺̝̄g̸̺̈͠h̶̜̟̏ẗ̷̮̔͜ ̵̤͆I̴̠͒'̵̬̼̏͗d̵̻͗͝ ̶̥̦̍̀b̸̺͊̒ė̶̦ ̷̦̪̊͋a̴͍͝b̸̦͂͛l̴̘̻̊̎e̷̦͋̄ ̸̣͆́t̷̬̙͌̅o̶̰̿͌ ̴̭̽͠a̶͖̙͋v̴̻̼́o̵̝̬͘i̷͎͔̽d̴̹͎̿͝ ̶͈̿ͅy̵͉͗ͅö̶͉́ú̴̹̐ ̸̯͙̿̒B̶̞̦̾ą̷̲̐t̵͕̆-̴͎̔̇p̴̮̅̋e̴̻̫̋o̵̻̞̅p̵͍͕̊l̵̛̯̩̎ĕ̷̳̅ ̸̽̔͜t̶̘̃̋h̷̯̘̄̊i̴͓͎̒͋s̵͂͜ ̷̛̹̂ẗ̶̻̰i̸̩͖͐m̶̜͆e̵͇̲̊́ ̵̮͚͌ǒ̷̢̠͘f̷̘̹̄̾ ̵͙̈͠d̷͉̩͒ä̴̬̹y̴̻̻̑.̵̳̯͋"
"You're a priority," Batman said flatly. "When word came out that you were back in Gotham, it caused some concern."
"I̴̥̒̉'̶̿ͅm̴̼̿ ̴͉͖̽ň̸͙̕o̴̝͗ť̵̥̑ ̴̘͇̒̀ḽ̴͖͂o̸̻̱̐̈́ȍ̸͓́k̷̡̛͑ǐ̸̟ǹ̶̪̦̍g̶͕͋͝ ̶͚̺̏͆f̶͙̔̎o̷̭̓͜͝ṟ̷͝ ̴̩͔̔̈́ṱ̵̽̎r̷͓̅o̷̤̩͗́ù̵̹͚̃b̵̫͚̈l̸̡̤͐̈́e̶̯͙̍͘.̵̨͛." she told him. "Ý̶͙̠͝ě̸̬̺̔t̶̩̙͒.̸̟̆͜"
Just look at him. Shoulders squared, his jaw twitching. Oh, he was angry. Or at least very unhappy to see her. Good. "L̷̡̊e̶̡̛͇̋a̸̺̍v̵̬̾̎ͅe̶̦͛͋ ̵̯͋͒ͅm̶̟̳͋̋ẽ̶̉͜ ̵̙͂̎a̵̡͈͠l̵͕̈́́o̸̙̺͐ņ̴͌ḙ̸̾,̵̜̥̍͠ ̵̡̻̑̓B̴͙́͊ã̶̡͚̓t̶̺̳͆m̸̢̟̈́ȃ̷̪n̵̥͇̅.̸͍̓ ̵̣̻̏́Y̷̨̯͑̓o̵̩̯̍u̷̮̮͌ ̴̬͖̐h̶͇̭̎ä̷͍̍v̶̲͍́e̴̯̕ ̶̡̄͛n̴̗̗͒̉o̴̍̍͜ ̷̪͛ì̵̻͝d̸̬̒̚ĕ̷̘͚̉ä̴̺̭́ ̸̜̜̔w̵̤̽h̸̙̼̏ą̴̾t̴̺̐͆ ̵̠̃I̶̫͓͘'̴̖̖̏v̵̻̋͝ͅe̴͔̓ ̶̨̹͋͝b̴̲̭̍ë̸͉͑ë̷̤̑n̴̛͖̰ ̸͕̗͆t̵͍̑̚h̶̔͜r̷̡͗o̶̟̜̓̆u̸͖͓̽g̵̖̈͌ḩ̷̀.̸̫͐"
"If your year was half as bad as mine, I can guess." Oh, there was a pulled-punch energy in that. Pam watched his hands clench into fists. Still, something gritted out beside all of it. "We haven't always been enemies. Once, we were something else. I don't want a fight, but if you cross that line, I have to respond."
"Ț̶̜̔ḥ̶̌̈ͅą̵͆́t̷̮̥̿͌'̵̠̻̓̍s̸̛̭ ̷̣͐̉i̷͈̓t̷͖̗͐?̸̧͛ ̶͉̀̄Y̶̹̗̓͝o̴̥͍͗ŭ̴͚̲ ̸̭͚͗̋t̵̘̂h̶͕̽ř̸̬̹̌ę̵͇̐ạ̵̝̈t̷̹̥̽ẻ̷̤̖̈n̶̹̈́ ̷͖͖̈̈́m̶͓̯̄e̸͉̊ ̵̹̿a̴̳̰͊̿n̶̞̾ḓ̵̫̈́ ̶̮͍̾ṱ̵̋͝ḥ̵̒̈́e̶͈̎n̶̲̓ͅ ̶͙̓̑w̴͍̑a̷̩̘͂͌l̶̳͉͑k̴̚͠ͅ ̷͇̗̀ă̵̩w̷̘̆a̵̦̠̚y̸͉͙̒?̷̫̓͠ ̸͕̭̂̊I̶͓͕͋͝'̷͔̼͆m̸̼̄ ̶͎̖̔ṅ̶͎̊o̴̬̞͊͝ț̴́ ̴̻̄̕t̵̮̣͋̌h̵̝͌͘ē̷̞͉ ̸͍̅̚s̶͙̥̀͝a̶̺̐͒m̷̨͓͘ë̵̘́̀ ̵̳̪̌̏p̵̣̌͋e̵̗͂͜͠ȓ̸̛͓̭s̷̬̲͋o̴͍̓͝n̴̬͘.̶̣̦̈́͛ ̵͓̙̍Y̷̨͓̾o̷̳͌̑ṵ̷͚͊'̷͔̫̈́r̴͍̹͂̌ḛ̴̳͂ ̵̙̩͋n̴̮͐̚ȏ̴̬̮̚t̴̺͝ ̶̤̃ť̵̞͍̉h̵̥̐̆ḛ̶̖̇͆ ̴̹̲̈́͗s̶͔̅a̴̙͌͋m̷͇̯̕ë̷̗͍́̓ ̷͍̈́̅p̵͎̻͒̊ȅ̷̟̪͛r̶̠̃s̸̱̍ö̴̡̪́̚n̵̪̆̉.̵̳͊̚ ̷̦̬͋B̴͇̝͂̀u̴͓̜͝t̸̼͒ ̴͇̋ͅw̵͚̗͐̓é̸͎'̸̖̱͐͒ṙ̴̦͐e̷̬͈̐̓ ̸̘̣̑g̸̟͒́o̷̤͋į̸̙͌n̶̤͈͘g̵̼̙͋͒ ̴̖͝ť̸̠o̷̫͋͠ ̸̹̦̔͠ṕ̶͍̩ī̸̫͌c̵̻̥̚k̸̺̎͝ ̷͎̞̃̂ṳ̷̤̒ṕ̵̼̃ ̴͇̏r̴̪̙̕͘ì̸̱̺͑g̵̹͌̉h̵̥͋̓t̸̟̎ ̸̛̼͛w̵̡͒̂ḣ̸̡̥e̶̮͐́͜r̶͕̽̒e̴͕͉̓ ̵͚̚w̸̟̤̿ē̴͕̣̾ ̶̜̂͋l̶͚̤̋e̸͓̻̋͋f̵̢͇́̈́t̸͙͂ ̶̼̋͋ǒ̶̭̞́f̷̰̞̂́f̸̋̀͜?̸͌ͅ"
"I leave that up to you," Batman said. And he turned, stalking away with a sweep of his cape.
Pam really hated that man.
She let out a breath as he vanished between the trees. She let the lamia drain from her, back into her body. "Shit," she muttered.
Playing house with Harley was... heaven. But it wouldn't be safe for long, wouldn't it? Oh, sure, right now it was just the Bats - but she had more enemies than that. They were likely waiting their turn.
She didn't want to leave Harley. But she also couldn't stay.
Pam rubbed her face. "I need ideas," she muttered.
One or two were dawning. Neither ideal. But maybe...
She flipped open her phone and called, first Janet, then Portalocity.
[[ nfb due to distance! taken from Poison Ivy #13 by G. Willow Wilson. this has definitely taken five times longer than I wanted but we're almost there. ]]
It took Janet but a few moments to recognize him: he'd been an employee at the chemical plant where they'd met each other for the first time. The one Pam had filled with lamia spores, where she had taken pity on only one, small little human among dozens.
She put him out of his misery.
She was disconcerted, though.
Half an hour later, she met Harley on the edge of Slaughter Swamp. Harls had brought a welcome home sign, and a bouquet of flowers stolen from a funeral home. "Hi there, gorgeous," she said. "Took you long enough."
There was a lot to tell her. Fandom. Janet. The wild lamia. But Pam put it all aside. She was home at last. The world could wait. With Harley in her arms, all she wanted to do was lock it all out, and cover herself in love.
---
And it worked, for a week. Pam woke up every morning to a dream: Harley's apartment, Harley warm in her arms, the sunlight filtering in through the windows. Birds singing outside. Heaven.
Unfortunately, she couldn't stay there. And so on Monday morning she got up, made her way down from Harley's apartment, and stepped back into the filth of Gotham City. A place she'd hoped never to set foot in again. A place where not seeing things was as important a survival skill as not being seen.
It didn't last long.
She took a turn into an alley. Something fell to the ground beside her. Something shiny. She stopped.
And there she was.
"So. You're back."
"Been a while," Pam murmured, and looked up to meet Selina's eyes as Catwoman came sliding down the fire escape. Dramatic, as always.
"You're very brave to show your face here, after the way you left," Selina noted, her feet touching down on the next set of bars. "Very brave, or very silly. I can't decide which one."
"I guess we'll find out together."
Pam held up the silver chain. "You dropped this," she added.
The woman in black leather twisted halfway and snatched the chain out of her hands. "Thanks," she said. "You seem different."
"I wasn't in a great place last time we met," Pam said delicately.
"And now you are in a great place?" Selina asked, fingers playing with the chain, her expression inquisitive.
"Not really," Pam said quietly. "But I am in this place again. Somehow."
And just like that, Selina jerked up, her legs tumbling underneath her. She gripped a line strung between the buildings and pulled herself up on it with unearthly grace. "Then as a welcome home present, I'll give you a head start," she said. "The Bats are looking for you."
Of course.
"Which ones?"
"All of them," Selina said briskly. "When you disappear for about a year and then show up on Harley Quinn's doorstep, people notice."
Perfect. Pam watched her move, flipping and sliding along the rooftops, until she was gone. A few steps carried her out of the alleyway, but honestly, even she knew there wasn't any point in running. So she just... walked, pondering familiar streets.
Walked, and walked, until she saw the shadow flitting around the edges.
"Let's just get this over with," she murmured. She turned a corner. Robinson Park had been her hideout once, her primary place of operations. If the Bats wanted to find her, they'd be looking here, first of all.
Better to meet them on her turf than to wait for them to upend Harley's.
The old paths between the trees still held unpleasant memories, but she pushed them aside. She just walked. And listened. The Bats always thought they were subtle, but she could hear Him, the way his stupid little cape rustled between the branches. The woods weren't a natural fit for him. They never had been.
It was honestly irritating. That he was trying to sneak up on her here, where she knew every leaf and blade of grass.
"You're not getting the upper hand on me that easily."
She let the lamia come over her, twisting her body into something different. The tendrils in her hair, the fruit on her body - her armor. And she looked to the trees, where the shadow disturbed the leaves. "S̵̞͍̺̗̀͜ó̷̦ ̸͉̳̑̈ẙ̶̻̜̆̌͜ơ̷̪͑̾u̶̺̹̬̓'̸̨͇̗̞̾̓v̶̜̫̺̅̐e̸͇͗̐̐ ̷̡̣̺͎͈̅͒ĉ̶̨̺̃̎͝ő̷͙͊͆m̴̟̂e̴͇͖͇̝̤͐̈̀ ̶͉̓̈̏̄͘t̸̢̗͖̘͆̽̑̑͜o̴̬̤̳͛́̇̒̚ ̴̣̳̩̭̟̀̓̃̂ă̷̬̤̅͗m̷̢̓͌̾̈́b̶͙͚̜͛ú̴̦̥̤̤s̴̛͈̆̂̑͘ͅḥ̸͂̐̐͒̀ ̷͚̰͑͐͂͜m̴͍͕̟̔͑̔̒͜ě̵̛̫͕͑̃̀.̵͎͍̦͑͊̀̿̍," she called. "T̵̗̾͑h̸͇́͜ȃ̷̪̰̓t̵̗͒͜ ̷̼̦̕h̴̖̺̍ạ̴̽̾s̴̰̕ṅ̴̗͚̏'̷̺̯̾͝t̴͉̻̓͗ ̴͉͠g̸̻͌ó̴͚n̴̦̈e̶̘͠͝ ̷̨̃w̸̪͎̆̕e̴̳̓l̴̡͈̀l̸͌ͅ ̸͖͔̏͒f̵̥̦̄́ȍ̵̡̉r̷̮̘͝ ̶͖̼͠y̴̥̅ȯ̴̫͍̑ṷ̷̖͐̓ ̵̞̔ḯ̴͚ń̷̹̯͝ ̸̥́t̷̡̜͑͝ḧ̶̬̞e̸̗̅ ̵̪̯̈̚p̴̟͆̕a̶̖͑̊s̶͇̔̒t̸͕̫̀̅,̵̯͊ ̸̞̖̀b̸̰͍͋ũ̷̘͝ẗ̶̥́̋ ̴̪͑̍I̴̧̡͝ ̶͚̻̕g̸̖̈́̈ṵ̵̊̎e̴͎̞̓s̴̡͚͒͠s̶̨̃̀ͅ ̶̟̒̕ẏ̴̧o̸̞͊u̷̹̍̂ ̷̜̭̕n̸̹̬͐͝e̸͉͕͛v̴̊͜e̷̛̫̾ř̵͙͚ ̸͕̊̕s̵̢̟͗͘u̴̪̦̿̈́ç̶̓̐c̷̰͛e̵̗̎e̸̛̝̐d̶̲͜͝ ̴͈̭̊ṵ̸̇͠ń̵̳t̴̨̐̿i̴̝̥͗l̵̬̝̍ ̵̺̰̆y̷̹̆͜o̴̧͈̽u̴̗͉̿ ̷͙͉̓t̴͈̿r̷͔̦̈̒ỳ̶̗.̶͔̦́̉"
The batarang flew past her head. She caught it. "Ì̴̖͖s̸̮̯̍̀ ̴̭͉̕t̸̫̐ḫ̴̱͝a̶̹̓͊t̴̬͈́ ̴̙̆s̸͇̀u̸̯̭͊p̷͈̆p̵͊ͅo̷̳͙̊š̴͈̎e̴̬̲̿̆ḋ̵̦̝̃ ̷̼̪͗͑t̵̢̙̉o̴̙͗͗ ̶̡͚̈́̽i̸͉̹̔m̸̡̩̑p̵̪̍ȑ̴̢̯̄e̸̛̝̠͆ŝ̴̺͎s̷̘͙̏ ̶̙̲̓m̴͉̟͊͝ẻ̶̢̪̚?̴̢̗̓"
"No. Just a warning."
And there he was, with his silly big ears and his infuriating air of superiority. "What kind of infection will I get if I touch that?"
She lifted an eyebrow. "P̵̖̽ḯ̸͓͖̓c̵̞̍k̸̩̦̅ ̸̞̋͐į̴͑ẗ̸̮͎́ ̸̦́͝û̸͖͘p̵̭͇͑ ̴̳̈́a̷̩͘̚n̸̻̐d̶͚̐̚ ̶̠̾͛f̶͍̤́̎î̴̳͑ͅǹ̴͇͘ď̸͙ ̵̙͕̉̈o̸͔̾ủ̵̙̝t̵̢̰̚.̴̈̈́," she challenged him. "Í̷̤͉̑ ̶̨͐͘t̴̰̉ĥ̵̺õ̷̖͠ú̶̺̝̄g̸̺̈͠h̶̜̟̏ẗ̷̮̔͜ ̵̤͆I̴̠͒'̵̬̼̏͗d̵̻͗͝ ̶̥̦̍̀b̸̺͊̒ė̶̦ ̷̦̪̊͋a̴͍͝b̸̦͂͛l̴̘̻̊̎e̷̦͋̄ ̸̣͆́t̷̬̙͌̅o̶̰̿͌ ̴̭̽͠a̶͖̙͋v̴̻̼́o̵̝̬͘i̷͎͔̽d̴̹͎̿͝ ̶͈̿ͅy̵͉͗ͅö̶͉́ú̴̹̐ ̸̯͙̿̒B̶̞̦̾ą̷̲̐t̵͕̆-̴͎̔̇p̴̮̅̋e̴̻̫̋o̵̻̞̅p̵͍͕̊l̵̛̯̩̎ĕ̷̳̅ ̸̽̔͜t̶̘̃̋h̷̯̘̄̊i̴͓͎̒͋s̵͂͜ ̷̛̹̂ẗ̶̻̰i̸̩͖͐m̶̜͆e̵͇̲̊́ ̵̮͚͌ǒ̷̢̠͘f̷̘̹̄̾ ̵͙̈͠d̷͉̩͒ä̴̬̹y̴̻̻̑.̵̳̯͋"
"You're a priority," Batman said flatly. "When word came out that you were back in Gotham, it caused some concern."
"I̴̥̒̉'̶̿ͅm̴̼̿ ̴͉͖̽ň̸͙̕o̴̝͗ť̵̥̑ ̴̘͇̒̀ḽ̴͖͂o̸̻̱̐̈́ȍ̸͓́k̷̡̛͑ǐ̸̟ǹ̶̪̦̍g̶͕͋͝ ̶͚̺̏͆f̶͙̔̎o̷̭̓͜͝ṟ̷͝ ̴̩͔̔̈́ṱ̵̽̎r̷͓̅o̷̤̩͗́ù̵̹͚̃b̵̫͚̈l̸̡̤͐̈́e̶̯͙̍͘.̵̨͛." she told him. "Ý̶͙̠͝ě̸̬̺̔t̶̩̙͒.̸̟̆͜"
Just look at him. Shoulders squared, his jaw twitching. Oh, he was angry. Or at least very unhappy to see her. Good. "L̷̡̊e̶̡̛͇̋a̸̺̍v̵̬̾̎ͅe̶̦͛͋ ̵̯͋͒ͅm̶̟̳͋̋ẽ̶̉͜ ̵̙͂̎a̵̡͈͠l̵͕̈́́o̸̙̺͐ņ̴͌ḙ̸̾,̵̜̥̍͠ ̵̡̻̑̓B̴͙́͊ã̶̡͚̓t̶̺̳͆m̸̢̟̈́ȃ̷̪n̵̥͇̅.̸͍̓ ̵̣̻̏́Y̷̨̯͑̓o̵̩̯̍u̷̮̮͌ ̴̬͖̐h̶͇̭̎ä̷͍̍v̶̲͍́e̴̯̕ ̶̡̄͛n̴̗̗͒̉o̴̍̍͜ ̷̪͛ì̵̻͝d̸̬̒̚ĕ̷̘͚̉ä̴̺̭́ ̸̜̜̔w̵̤̽h̸̙̼̏ą̴̾t̴̺̐͆ ̵̠̃I̶̫͓͘'̴̖̖̏v̵̻̋͝ͅe̴͔̓ ̶̨̹͋͝b̴̲̭̍ë̸͉͑ë̷̤̑n̴̛͖̰ ̸͕̗͆t̵͍̑̚h̶̔͜r̷̡͗o̶̟̜̓̆u̸͖͓̽g̵̖̈͌ḩ̷̀.̸̫͐"
"If your year was half as bad as mine, I can guess." Oh, there was a pulled-punch energy in that. Pam watched his hands clench into fists. Still, something gritted out beside all of it. "We haven't always been enemies. Once, we were something else. I don't want a fight, but if you cross that line, I have to respond."
"Ț̶̜̔ḥ̶̌̈ͅą̵͆́t̷̮̥̿͌'̵̠̻̓̍s̸̛̭ ̷̣͐̉i̷͈̓t̷͖̗͐?̸̧͛ ̶͉̀̄Y̶̹̗̓͝o̴̥͍͗ŭ̴͚̲ ̸̭͚͗̋t̵̘̂h̶͕̽ř̸̬̹̌ę̵͇̐ạ̵̝̈t̷̹̥̽ẻ̷̤̖̈n̶̹̈́ ̷͖͖̈̈́m̶͓̯̄e̸͉̊ ̵̹̿a̴̳̰͊̿n̶̞̾ḓ̵̫̈́ ̶̮͍̾ṱ̵̋͝ḥ̵̒̈́e̶͈̎n̶̲̓ͅ ̶͙̓̑w̴͍̑a̷̩̘͂͌l̶̳͉͑k̴̚͠ͅ ̷͇̗̀ă̵̩w̷̘̆a̵̦̠̚y̸͉͙̒?̷̫̓͠ ̸͕̭̂̊I̶͓͕͋͝'̷͔̼͆m̸̼̄ ̶͎̖̔ṅ̶͎̊o̴̬̞͊͝ț̴́ ̴̻̄̕t̵̮̣͋̌h̵̝͌͘ē̷̞͉ ̸͍̅̚s̶͙̥̀͝a̶̺̐͒m̷̨͓͘ë̵̘́̀ ̵̳̪̌̏p̵̣̌͋e̵̗͂͜͠ȓ̸̛͓̭s̷̬̲͋o̴͍̓͝n̴̬͘.̶̣̦̈́͛ ̵͓̙̍Y̷̨͓̾o̷̳͌̑ṵ̷͚͊'̷͔̫̈́r̴͍̹͂̌ḛ̴̳͂ ̵̙̩͋n̴̮͐̚ȏ̴̬̮̚t̴̺͝ ̶̤̃ť̵̞͍̉h̵̥̐̆ḛ̶̖̇͆ ̴̹̲̈́͗s̶͔̅a̴̙͌͋m̷͇̯̕ë̷̗͍́̓ ̷͍̈́̅p̵͎̻͒̊ȅ̷̟̪͛r̶̠̃s̸̱̍ö̴̡̪́̚n̵̪̆̉.̵̳͊̚ ̷̦̬͋B̴͇̝͂̀u̴͓̜͝t̸̼͒ ̴͇̋ͅw̵͚̗͐̓é̸͎'̸̖̱͐͒ṙ̴̦͐e̷̬͈̐̓ ̸̘̣̑g̸̟͒́o̷̤͋į̸̙͌n̶̤͈͘g̵̼̙͋͒ ̴̖͝ť̸̠o̷̫͋͠ ̸̹̦̔͠ṕ̶͍̩ī̸̫͌c̵̻̥̚k̸̺̎͝ ̷͎̞̃̂ṳ̷̤̒ṕ̵̼̃ ̴͇̏r̴̪̙̕͘ì̸̱̺͑g̵̹͌̉h̵̥͋̓t̸̟̎ ̸̛̼͛w̵̡͒̂ḣ̸̡̥e̶̮͐́͜r̶͕̽̒e̴͕͉̓ ̵͚̚w̸̟̤̿ē̴͕̣̾ ̶̜̂͋l̶͚̤̋e̸͓̻̋͋f̵̢͇́̈́t̸͙͂ ̶̼̋͋ǒ̶̭̞́f̷̰̞̂́f̸̋̀͜?̸͌ͅ"
"I leave that up to you," Batman said. And he turned, stalking away with a sweep of his cape.
Pam really hated that man.
She let out a breath as he vanished between the trees. She let the lamia drain from her, back into her body. "Shit," she muttered.
Playing house with Harley was... heaven. But it wouldn't be safe for long, wouldn't it? Oh, sure, right now it was just the Bats - but she had more enemies than that. They were likely waiting their turn.
She didn't want to leave Harley. But she also couldn't stay.
Pam rubbed her face. "I need ideas," she muttered.
One or two were dawning. Neither ideal. But maybe...
She flipped open her phone and called, first Janet, then Portalocity.
[[ nfb due to distance! taken from Poison Ivy #13 by G. Willow Wilson. this has definitely taken five times longer than I wanted but we're almost there. ]]
